Psalm 130 and Coronavirus

Out of the depths I call to you, Lord! 2 Lord, listen to my voice; let your ears be attentive to my cry for help.

3 Lord, if you kept an account of iniquities, Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, so that you may be revered.

5 I wait for the Lord; I wait and put my hope in his word. 6 I wait for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning— more than watchmen for the morning.

7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord. For there is faithful love with the Lord, and with him is redemption in abundance. 8 And he will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Some of the most effective prayers are made from the depths of despair or dependence. Whether the prayer is derived from coronavirus, tornado devastation, crashing stock market, cancer, or the loss of a loved one. Psalm 130 begins with an honest cry to God from the depths that He would bend His ear and hear the cry for help. Many right now are crying out for help and although I don't understand every nuance of the pandemic, it is important.

No matter how important this is, this is not the greatest concern plaguing you right now. Verses 3-4 of Psalm 130 show us that the account of our iniquities or sin being held against us is the greatest threat to me. But with Christ there is forgiveness. So I don't want to overplay the threat of the coronavirus, because it isn't the greatest threat to me. On the other hand I don't want to underplay it either; because it is serious.

Verses 5 and 6 is very powerful when you feel powerless. The repetition of waiting on the Lord and putting your hope in His Word is where comfort comes from. Many of us have trouble waiting on the Lord, we like to take matters in our own hands, but in God's perfect timing this threat of Coronavirus will too pass.

The final encouragement that David brings us is Israel put your hope in the Lord, for there is faithful love with Him. And his redemption is abundant. Maybe the call for us is to put our hope in the Lord and trust that he is able to do more in 5 seconds than we are in 5 years of trying.

I challenge you today to call out to the Lord in your despair, and wait for Him.